It's no secret that people who exercise regularly lead healthier lives. They often enjoy slimmer waistlines higher immunity to sickness and fewer aches and pains. Regular exercisers also have a better chance of developing and maintaining healthier sleep patterns.

A simple internet search reveals that many menopausal women search for the best exercise to prevent insomnia. The answer may not be a simple workout plan but a specific type of workout. Aerobic exercises help prevent insomnia.
What Is Aerobic Exercise?

Aerobic exercise: any activity that elevates your heart rate Aerobic exercise is any activity that elevates your heart rate and maintains this elevation throughout the exercise. In order for it to be effective, this exercise should last for at least 20 minutes and involve continuous movement. A good aerobic exercise most times will make you break a sweat and breathe harder.
Some of the most common aerobic workouts include power walking, jogging, running, step aerobics, bicycling, swimming, and using cardio equipment at the gym.
Some Lesser-Known Aerobic Workouts

If you don't have the time to hit the gym or even step outdoors for a workout, there are still some fun, effective ways for you to get in 20 minutes of aerobics. You could:
- Blast the stereo and have a dance party in the living room!
- Use P90X, Wii Fitness or some other home exercise system.
- Take the dog for a walk around the neighborhood.
- Tune into a cable fitness channel to get a quick workout in front of the TV.
What Are the Benefits of Aerobic Exercise for Sleep?

To start, the most obvious effect is to use all your stores of energy so that you burn fat and sleep well at night. In addition, a sustained aerobic routine will help you lose weight, which will help relieve sleep disorders such as sleep apnea if you are overweight or obese.
Exercise reduces stress, which can trigger a number of conditions, such as anxiety, fatigue, weight gain and even hot flashes and night sweats. All of these menopausal symptoms have the ability to affect the amount of sleep you get each night and the quality of that sleep.
More Information about Menopausal Sleep Disorders
During menopause, women also have a higher chance of suffering from sleep apnea, narcolepsy and other conditions that could affect your nightly rest. Click the following link to learn more about sleep disorders treatments.
Sources
- Breus, Michael.(n.d)."Menopause and Sleep".Retrieved from MedicineNet.
- Love, Susan M.D. Menopause and Hormone Book. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.
- National Institute of Health.(n.d)."Your Guide to Healthy Sleep". Retrieved from April 2000
- Walsleben, Joyce M.D. "Ask the sleep expert: menopause and insomnia". National Sleep Foundation.